The present invention relates in general to changeable message outdoor advertising signs, of a type frequently referred to as perimeter signs, and more particularly to internally illuminated changeable message outdoor advertising signs having changeable letter panels providing clear transparent alpha-numeric characters and a translucent background.
Many internally illuminated changer:ble message outdoor advertising signs have been heretofore used in the trade, having plastic letters that have a clear background and colored characters, and some have employed a solid background with a clear character letter, but in both cases there are considerable light leak problems unless the letters have an opaque or light attenuating background. These have usually involved substantially rectangular thin letter panels forming the fonts or letters which are either alphabet characters or numeric characters, with the characters being colored numerals or alphabet characters on a clear background or clear character numerals or letters on an opaque background, wherein the rectangular font or letter panels are supported in either a pair of horizontal tracks horizontally spanning the width of the sign face at each side of the sign, or wherein a horizontal track member and a pair of associated vertical track members spaced apart substantially the width of the font or letter panel form a pocket for each letter along the sign face. Bevelite-Adler, a Gardena, California company, has offered signs wherein the letters or characters appear to be clear transparent characters associated with an opaque background by silk screening the front and back of the associated panel, and wherein bevelled edges are provided so that there is a slight overlap at the vertical edges of the letter panels. Again, light leak problems arise in connection with this arrangement due to inability to keep the vertical overlapped edges of the letter panels in an arrangement which prevents any light leakage.
An object of the present invention is the provision of a novel internally illuminated changeable message outdoor advertising sign and the like, having changeable plastic letters that have a translucent background with clear characters and have no light leaks on the face of the sign.
Another object of the present invention is the provision of an internally illuminated changeable message outdoor advertising sign employing a plurality of substantially rectangular plastic font or letter panels with bevelled edges abutting each other arranged along horizontally extending tracks, and wherein the letter panels provide for a translucent background by silk screening the letters or characters on the back surface of the letter panel, and wherein tensioning devices are provided bearing against one or both ends of each horizontal row of font or letter panels maintaining the bevelled vertical edges thereof in tightly abutting relation to prevent light leaks.
Other objects, advantages and capabilities of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention.